Method and means for finishing paper.



H. J. GUILD.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FINISHING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. I9I6.

Patented Sept. 3,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENT: HEN yJ. GUILD H. J. GUILD.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FINISHING PAPER.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

v 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.9| 1916.

. STA

Es PATENT orrrcn.

HENRY J'. GUIIJD, OF BANGOR, MAINE, ASSIGNOR-TO EASTERN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BANGOR, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

- METHOD AND MEANS FOR FINISHING- PAPER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. GUILD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bangor, in the countyof Penobscot. and

- made once or, more, usually several times,

State .of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means for Finishing Paper, of which the followin is a specification.

The present invention relates to the process of applying to paper a desiredsuperficial finish, specifically a finish resembling the surface appearance of fine textile fabric. This is an efiect required in certain kinds of writing paper. The operation by which the finish indicated has heretofore been produced on paper is known as plating, and as heretofore practised, it has consisted in first piling together alternate sheetsof paper and textile fabric interspersed at intervals with sheets of metal; next passing the pile so between two metallic rollers which subject it to an imprint-producing pressure .Varying with different sizes of sheetsbut somewhere in theorder of magnitudeof five to twenty tons; and finally after this operation disassembling the pile, the paper being then ready for cutting into merchantable sizes, and the sheets of cloth, or similar ma terial, and the metallic plates being ready for use agai'n in a similar operation.

The character of the imprint may be changed not only by changing the characterof the textile or equivalent instrument em ployed as a marking means, but also by changing the number ofsheets between each two metallic plates. The larger the number, the less clear cut and sharp will be the markings. For example, the paper of so called Lawn finish is made by piling a single sheet of paper between two textile sheets with a metallic plate, usually zinc, on each side ofthis unit. A number of these units are made into a pack or form andpassed between the rollers, with the result that an exceedingly sharp impression is made on each piece of paper between each two metal sheets. tween each pair of zincslis greater than in the case just cited, say eight or ten papersheets with accompanying textile marking sheets, instead of a single one, then it will Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Where the number of sheets be-' of the practices noted are commercially employed since there isdemand for paper of both kinds. 1

It is to be noted that the plating operation is not a process of embossing in the sense of producing a sheet in which prominences' on the one side correspondto indentations on the other, but is, on the other hand,

PatentedSept. 3, 1918. Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 135,960.

member on one side registered with a'simiv lar marking on the other. It is of course true that, in certain places where a promi- "nent thread on the textile marking member on one side chanced to come opposite a thin or depressed portion on the opposite textile member, there will be a local action of the sort previously referred to as embossing. This, however, is incidental and is not the essential plating action.

It is true that certainsocalled cloth finishing machines produce cover paper and similar products in which the action is an embossing one and that the paper resulting from these operations has a right and a wrong side, the latter being approximately the inverse of the former. It must be understood, however, that such a paper even if made of a proper quality of stock would not satisfy the commercial demand for a plated writing paper.

Further bearing upon the improved process hereinafter described, it may be stated that experiments show that the maximum pressure sustained by the paper at the time of passage through the plane containing the axes of the rolls is somewhere about eight or ten tons per square inch. It is also exceedingly important to note that pressure alone will not produce the kind of surface on the plated paper which is demanded by purchasers and denominated a good writing surface, the characteristics of such a surface being a well-marked impression of the textile employed, together wlth a gloss or polish which shall be substantially the same over the entire surface inclusive .of both prominencesand depress1ons.- f

It has long been recognized by those.

skilled in the plating art that which is known as slip has something to do with this polish, and, as bearing upon this point, experiments have repeatedly shown that a piece of paper between two textiles, passed through one or more nips of a calender having chilled iron or equivalent rolls or subjected to pressure in a hydraulic press, will show the impress of the fabric plainly but will have practically no polish even though the fabric be starched and ironed and of a glossy and shining appearance. Incidentally, with absolutely unyielding rolls, the character of the mark suffers in other respects besides lack of polish, for instance, from a tendency to spotty marking if the paper is wild, that is, if the sheet has thick and thin places. On the other hand, there has been a general and natural misundenstandin, as to the character and magnitude of the slip referred to. There is generally a marked longitudinal or lateral movement as between the top and bottom of a pack or form while passing through the plater rolls. This movement is often of the order of magnitude of a quarter of an inch and I believe that it has usually been assumed that the sum of the relative motions between papers and linens, or other markers, was of some such general order of magnitude, and the erroneous inference has therefore followed that, unless a slip of some rather considerable amount were available, it would not be possible to obtain satisfactory writing quality.

Recent experiments in which I have participated have shown that the slip between paper and fabric is of an almost infinitesimal amount, possibly of the general order of a thousandth of an inch or perhaps in some cases considerably less than a thousandth.

Nevertheless small as the relative lateral motion is, it further appears from the experiments referred to that its importance in determining finish is in fact as great as has been supposed.

Now the building and nil-building of-the packs or forms in the plating operation just described is a laborious and expensive process and further the injury to textile sheets by crumping of corners, scratching from corners and edges of metallic'sheets,

and the like, is such that the cost of the textile is a very large item, running in the case of a very large mill into hundreds of dollars per week.

The object of my invention has been to provide a roses and requisite mechanical means y which paper in the form of sheets, as, for example, what is known as loft dried paper, as well as air dried or machine dried paper in the form of rolls or sheets, may be subjected to a platin operation inwhich the successive indivldual sheets or elements of paper shall be pressed into contact with marking fabrics or equivalent means adjacent to their two sides, in such a manner that there shall be a minute relative lateral motion between marking means and paper on either side at a time when the contact surfaces are under the enormous specific pressures required for producing a satisfactory mark, while at the same time avoiding the expense and waste incident to building the paper and fabric into forms as in the process now practised.

111 this connection it should be said that I am fully aware of the various attempts set forth in issued patents, and of other more or less tentative experiments, intended to produce plated paper without the use of built-up forms. So far as I am aware,however, none of these attempts have succeeded in producing a paper closely resembling that resulting from the plating process, and the majority of those that have been operated have not turned out anything more than embossed cover paper or other more or less similar product not requiring a polished writing surface.

I have accomplished the object above indicated by feeding the paper to be marked between (preferably endless) traveling marking elements, which may be linen or other woven fabric which it desired to reproduce on the surface of the paper. or other.

marking elements suitably etched or engraved on their surfaces which come next to the paper so as to produce the desired ef feet; and passing such marking elements with the paper between pressure-applying means, preferably rolls, which are so constructed and operated as to produce a minute slip between the paper and marking elements, withoutinjuring either of them.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 shows in side elevation all except the delivery end of a machine by which the method above outlined may be carried out, such machine itself constituting an embodiment of that part of my invention which relates to means for treating paper roll and a roll capable of yielding locally to a degree which will be defined hereafter, then a certain slip will result between the paper and the plating markers which is so minute as not to injure either the paper'or the markers, but is sufiicient to give the desired finish to the paper. I will now describe an apparatus which includes rolls of the sort indicatedtogether with auxiliary apparatus necessary or useful in carrying out the operation, and then further explain the principles underlying the machine and the method according to which the object is achieved.

In the drawings, 1 represents the base and 2- represents one of two main upright side frames, such frames being duplicates and be long opening or slot the sides of which form guideways 3 wherein are mounted the bearing boxes 4, 5, and 6 for the'trunnions 7, 8, and 9 of pressure applying rolls 10, 11, and

12, respectively. The bearing box for the lowermost roll rests solidly against the b0ttom 13 of the slot, and the required pressure between the rolls is applied by means of screws 14, of which thereis one mounted on tension to the band'or sheet 24. 1 T

I Cooperating withithe band 24 retain 32 which pass around rolls 35 and-36, 60

each frame passing through a cap' piece 15 on the frame and bearing against the box 6 of the uppermost roll of the series. The

- screw may be turned to regulate this pressure in the well'known manner by means of is suitable for producing the desired impresan operating arm 16.

inghung upon a pin 18 and having an ad-- justable screw abutment 19. which bears against. the. frame, and projects from the frame, carrying rolls 20, 21, 22-, and 23, one trunnion of each of said rolls being sup ported by this arm, and a duplicate arm at the other sidevof the machine, supporting the opposite ends of the rollskZAn endless belt 24 passes around the rolls: 11 and acetic over the rolls 21, 22, and 23, which are gulding and take-up rolls. This belt is at once an endless conveyer 'for, the sheets to be plated and a plating marker for applying the desired impression-to one surface of the paper. Uniform tension is mamtained in the belt by the take-up roll 23 Wh1Ch 1S i mounted on a carriage 25 mounted; to travel on the arm and carrying also a shaft 26 on which there are mounted av plmon 27-.anda

pulley 28} The pinion meshes with a rack 29 fixed on the arm, and the pulley'ca'rries a cord 30 suspendingaiweight 31 WhlCh apfmaterial, preferably cast iron, or of material substantially equivalent theretoin its'qualityof rigidity. The roll .11 is of a different material which is somewhat yielding, that is,

plies a constant turning movement to the shaft 26, which tends to move the carriage 25 and roll-33 in the direction for applying the paper-thereon are cords The outer end of arm rod 37 secured atone end to the side frame,

36 ismounted. To this rod is connected an arm 39 which extends downwardly to a table 40 and carries a number of brackets on 3 An arm 17 is connected to theframe 2, be-

17 'is stayed a which are mounted guide rolls 41,42, and

by a bar 48, is an arm 49.carrying guide rolls 50, 51 and take-up rolls 52, 53, the latter being mounted in a carriage 54 and impelled by a weight 55 on acord 56, pulley 57 and gear'pinion 58 meshing with a rack 59. on the arm, to maintain uniform and constant tension in a belt 60, in essentially the same manner as described in connection with'the roll 23. g I

The belt 60 passesin the course clearly shown in the drawings about the rolls last described and also in a sinuous course through the .pressure applying rolls {passing under the roll-1,0. This belt is a plating over and aroundthe roll-12 then across thevoppositeside of the roll 11, and around and markjer, complemental to the belt 24, for impressing the paper sheets to be plated.

Both belts may be of any character which sion, and may be linen or other woven fabric ofthe mesh and pattern which it is desired to reproduce in the paper, or they maybe of .other"materials having etched or otherwise formed surfaces, the pattern of which likewise is designed to produce the. desired character of marking. p It'i-s evident that paperfed from the table 40 will be carried to the. nip of the rolls 11 and 12 between the belts 24 and 60,' and then around the roll 11 to be given another impression between rolls 10 and 11, being confined between the belts all this time. When I delivered from the second impression, the paper sheets are taken by a delivery belt 63,

and delivered toa' holder 64. Belts or cords 6,5 cooperate with the belt 63 for retaining the sheetsthereon. I 1

' The lowermost roll 10 driven by a belt on a pulley 66 secured to the shaft of this roll. The other flroll's are driven by fri ti i from the roll 10.

The rolls 10 and 12 are of hard, unyielding preferably softer" than the material of the other rolls, but is at the same time sufficiently dense to sustain without excessive deformation, the pressures applied in platv ing paper, amounting in magnitude to from and carrying a bracket 38 on which the roll five to ten tons per square inch of bearing surface,' or substant ally so, as previously the material for the roll 11 which best fulfils the needs of my invention, since is will sus-' tain the pressures indicated at the contact surface, and under such pressures will undergoa material elastic deformation. This disclosure ofmaterials is not intended as a limitation of the invention to the particular materials named for the pressure-applylng rolls, butis given as illustrative of the prop erties which the rolls should have in order to produce the desired efiect. The essentials 1 ,in regardto eachpair of pressure applying rolls are first, that both rolls should be capable of withstanding the pressures applied,

' therefor. v

W Conslder two rolls, arranged to runqn surface contact" and to exert pressure, one

that, ifthese. rolls be-pressed into strong -f and second, that one' of the rolls should be softer than the other, whereby it is indented by the other roll at the point of tangency under the pressures applied, the harder roll being not indented and retaining unchanged its convex form. 1' i 'I have found that: paper sheets, when passed with sheets of textile fabric between rollsof this character and subjected to pressures. substantially as indicated, are not only indented and given the desired character of marking, but are also polished in the desired manner, the result being paper finished in accordance with the demands of the trade and free from the obj ectionable qualities of other modesof treatment hereinbefore indicated.

With regard to the reason for this result I havearrived at a'conclusion which I believe to be the correct one, and which is herewith presented. It is, however,,to be understood that the salient fact is that the desired result is actuallyand reliably achieved by the means specified, and that my claims as to the novelty and utility oftheprocess are in .no

Way contingent upon the correctness ofthis explanation or hypothesis as to the reasons against the other. Itis understood bythose acquainted with the properties of materials contact, the material along the line of this contact undergoes some elastic deformation, theamount varying-with the hardness of the material, and that by this means the line contact demanded by elementary theory is trans formed into a narrow surface, the width of which will be greater the 'greaterthe pressure and. softer the material of the rolls.

Now if both rolls are of the same homogeneous material, whether this be hard or soft, the flattening of each at the contact will be symmetrical and'the contact surface will be plane. If, on the other hand, one of the rolls is much softer than the other, then the surface of contact will be convex, and of a radius but little greater than that of the harder roll in cases where the difference of hardness or modulus of elasticity is asgreat as in" the instances-cited in this specification.

Now acareful consideration of the actions where a laminated composlte sheet passes between such rolls under ressure and an analysis of the relative pat s of the layers sheets, and the paper operated on are shown vdetached from the machine and on alarger scale than in Fig. 1, the thickness of the markers and paper being proportionally much-more enlarged than the rolls. It will be appreciated that when the paper and marking sheets are subjected to the nip of,

.the rolls 1211,they are not only pressed together with great force, but are also bent around the axis of the roll 12.. A repetition ofthe same action occurs when the sheets vpass through the nip of the rolls 1011, the

sheets being then curved about the axis of the roll 10. The bending ofthe sheets While under enormous pressure about the axis of the relatively hard roll resulting from the yielding of the softer roll, is what causes the slip betweenthe paper and markers and the desired polished effect, as above described. Therefore the method practised with the aid of the apparatus earlier described may be said to consist in bending the sheets of .fabric and paper in an are at the same time that they are confined under severe pressure in such manner that slip occurs between thesurfaces of adjacent sheets roducing a,

polish while the surfaces of the paper are being impressed or marked by the marking a r1cs.,

l Therelative motion with use of a soft roll I -"capable of withstanding several tons per square inch is of course. very small, being within the elastic limit of the fabric, but experiments with transferable marks on linens used. in an ordinary plater show the relative motion-between paperjand linen in that case to be also of the same order of minuteness. Further, the fact thatthe polish resulting from use of one hard and one suitably soft roll exactly simulates that from the present process of plating, considered in. conjunction with the absence of polish from use of two hard or two soft rolls, is in itselfevidence of the adequacy of this action and its similarity tothat found in thezplater.

The utility of the invention, as compared with the-method of plating paper, consists mainlyinthe fact that, with themethod inthe building of a form or stack of many sheets, and to substitute therefor the possibility of textile or equivalent belts and sheet feed,'or other procedures, any one of which a is far less wasteful of time and labor than 'is the method now universally employed;

and the loss of material due to injury to textile sheets from the previously used metal plates, -ashereinbefore pointed out,- is avoided.

pass the paper one or several times between rolls of substantially the character, and adjusted for substantially the pressures, hereinbefore specified, each roll being provided with, or wholly or'partially enveloped in, an endlesstextile belt as shown. It is within my contemplation, however, to omit one of the rolls and subject the paper to only one impression, as well as to add further sets of rolls with carrying -.and marking sheets arranged toapply more than two impressions.

The machine hereinbefore described represents the present preferred embodiment of my invention, but I wish it clearly under stood that I do not in any wise limit myself to the construction and arrangement of the principal elementsthereof, nor to the association of the accessory parts as shown; but

on the contrary include within the scope of my invention as'claimed all means having substantially the properties and capable of performing the functions and accomplishing theresults-hereinbefore pointed out, as wellas the method pointed out, howeverthe same may be performed, whether by the particular means here described, or by other means. t

' What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. .A machine for producing a clotli finish on the surfaces of paper, comprising a plurality of textile belts, a pair of rolls adapted to exert pressure through these belts upon paper fed between them, one of the rolls be i-ngof a hard material, the other roll being of a'material suiiiciently yielding to bringabout a slight relativemotion between the paper and the belts while under pressure,

but neverthless having sufficient compressive rigidity to insure that each side of the paper 'shallreceiveprincipally the impression of us but sufliciently'rigid to afford support for ,thg textile belt whichis in contact with that $1 e. l

2. A machine" for producing cloth finish onthe surfaces of paper, comprising a plurality of textile belts, a pair of rolls adapted to exert pressure through the belts upon. pa'per'fed between them, one of the rolls being of'a hard material, the other roll being' of a material ,suificiently yielding .to

bring about a slightrelativemotion between the paper and the belts while under pressure,-

the marking belt adjacent to it in the performance of its functions of impressing an inverse imprint of its surface upon the con-. tiguous surface of the paper.

3. 'A machine for producing a' cloth finish onthe surfaces of paper, comprising a plurality of textile markers, a pair of rolls adapted to exert pressure through the markers upon paper fed between'them, one-of the rolls being of a hard material, the other y roll beingof 'a' material sufliciently yield Incarrying out myjinven'tion, I prefer to ingto bring about a slight relative motio between 'the paper and the markers While under pressure, but possessing suflicient hardness to furnish a backing for the paper which will prevent the reverse of the design being imparted to that surface of the paper 'which is away from the roll, from being simultaneously imparted to the surface 'contiguous to the roll.

4. A machine for producing a finish in relief on the surfaces of paper, comprising a plurality of flexible markers having a 'pat-.

tern in the inverse of the required relief on their working surfaces, a pair of rolls adapted to exert pressure through these markers upon paper fed between them, one

of the rolls being of a hard material, the other roll'being of ;a material sufficiently yielding to bring about a slight relative'motion between the paper and the markers while under pressure, but nevertheless having suflicient compressive rigiditv to insure that each side of. the paper shall receive principally the impression of that marker which is in contactwith that side. 1

-; 5. A, machine for producing a finish on the surfaces of paper, comprsing a continuously traveling marker, means for actuating the same. means for feeding the paper, and means for applying pressure to the paper and to the marker and for effecting a slight relative movement of the paper and marker while under pressure to impart polish to the surface of the'pa'per.

6. In a machine for cloth in combinationa-Pair of rolls, one of which finishing paper,

is of. relatively hard material while the other 5 is of a comparatively yielding material which is nevertheless capable of repeattons per square inch-of contact surface with tedly withstanding a load of at least four out injurious permanent deformation, and

having a modulus of'elastic'ity not substanf tially greaterthan one third that of the hard roll; frame membersand journals adapted to ;maintain parallelismfbetween the axes ,of j these rolls and to strongly prejssthem to- -'gether; means for rotating the rolls a plurality of textile belts passing between the these belts being adapted to impress a clothaforementioned.

rolls andstronglv pressed together thereby,

7 A machine for cloth finishing the surfaces of paper, comprising a plurality of axially parallel pressure rolls so mounted ments adapted to pass continuously or dis that they can be forced into intimate contact, every alternate roll being of hard metal whilethe rolls intermediate between these are of a material much more yielding than metal, but nevertheless able to withstand Without injurious permanent deformation such pressures as are required in the operation of plating paper; clot-h marking elecontinuously between these rolls in such manner that the paper to be treated may be inserted between them, and have pressure exerted upon it by the aforesaid rolls through the cloth, said yielding rolls being ing to yield at the line of .whereby a capable of causing a slip between the paper and the cloth marking elements; and means for driving the rolls.

8. A machine for cloth finishing the surfaces-of paper, comprising a pair of cloth imprint-making elements between which the paper to be treated is inserted; a pair of pressure rolls adapted to exert sufficient pressure through the cloth on thepaper to impressthe respectivesurfaces of the paper "with a clear imprint of the respectively adjacent cloths, one of these pressure rolls be' ing of hard metal, and the other of-a material of as yielding a nature .as is consistv ent with its function of withstanding the pressure just defined, but sufficiently yield specific pressure, polishing action on-the-paper is secured.

9. A machine for producing a finish in relief on the s'urfaces of paper comprising a; pair of imprint making elements between which the paper to be treated is inserted; a pair of pressure rolls adapted to exert s'ufli cient pressure through the said imprintmaking elements on the paper to impress the" respective surfaces of the paper with 'a clear imprint of the respectively adjacent elements, one of these pressure rolls being of a relatively hard and unyielding material, and

the other of a material of as yielding a nature as .is consistent with the function of withstandingthe pressure just defined; I 10. A machine for cloth finishing paper pressure whereby .der] pressure.-

- signature.

' in which the-paper is pressed between two cloths hard enoughto give a clear imprint of each cloth 0n the side in contact therewith, 'comprising two co-acting rolls of which one is'much more yielding in character than the other without being so yielding as to be detrimentally affected by the exerpress a superficial pattern into the paper,

and effecting a very sli' ht :relative -move- 'ment of the paper and o the marker while under pressure, suflicient to impart polish to the surface of the -paper..

'12. The method of finishing the surface of paper, which consists in pressing a sheet of paper into forcible contact with a marker having on its surface next to the paper a marking the reverse of that to be impressed in the paper, and at the same time so bending thepaper and marker while under pressure as to cause slip between the contacting I surfaces thereof.

13. A method of cloth-finishing paper which consists in placing paper between flexible markers, passing the markers andpaperprogressivelybetween pressure applying means, and at the sametime causing slip between the paper and markers at the lineof a polished finish is. produced on the paper.

'14. A continuous method of cloth-finishing paper which consists in placing paper 7 between continuously traveling" markers, progressively "applying pressurev against said markers and-paper, and bending the same at and during the persistence ofthe application'of pressure thereto in such manneras to cause slip between the contiguous surfaces'of the paper and markers while un- In testimony whereof I have aflixed my HENRY J. GUILD. 

